Smoking isn't a habit with me; it's a luxury–like perfume. Are you still so fond of perfumes? Ah, when I was in Russia . . . " She broke in: "You've really been to Russia?" "Oh, yes. I was there for over a year. Have you forgotten how we used to talk of going there?"

"No, I've not forgotten."

He gave a strange half laugh and leaned back in his chair. "Isn't it curious. I have really carried out all those journeys that we planned. Yes, I have been to all those places that we talked of, and stayed in them long enough to–as you used to say, 'air oneself' in them. In fact, I have spent the last three years of my life travelling all the time. Spain, Corsica, Siberia, Russia, Egypt. The only country left is China, and I mean to go there, too, when the war is over."

As he spoke, so lightly, tapping the end of his cigarette against the ash-tray, she felt the strange beast that had slumbered so long within her bosom stir, stretch itself, yawn, prick up its ears, and suddenly bound to its feet, and fix its longing, hungry stare upon those far away places. But all [Page 233] she. said was, smiling gently: "How I envy you." He accepted that. "It has been," he said, "very wonderful–especially Russia. Russia was all that we had imagined, and far, far more. I even spent some days on a river boat on the Volga. Do you remember that boatman's song that you used to play?"

"Yes." It began to play in her mind as she spoke.

"Do you ever play it now?" "No, I've no piano."

He was amazed at that. "But what has become of your beautiful piano?"

She made a little grimace. "Sold. Ages ago." "But you were so fond of music," he wondered.

"I've no time for it now," said she.

He let it go at that. "That river life," he went

4

啊，当我在俄罗斯的时候

“你真地去了俄罗斯？”她打断了他。 “是的，我在那里住了一年多。你还记得我们过去常常提起去俄罗斯吗？” “是的，当然记得。”

他奇怪地似笑非笑了一下，然后倚向靠背。 “多么让人感到好奇。我们以前计划要去的地方我却走遍了。事实上，在过去的三年生活中，我一直在到处旅游——西班牙、科西嘉、西伯利亚、俄罗斯、埃及。唯一剩下的国家是中国。我还是打算去那儿，待战争结束后。”

在他说话的时候，他轻轻地，在烟灰缸上弹着香烟头。她现在感到她体内的懒虫在蠢蠢欲动。她伸展着腰身，打着哈欠，竖起了耳朵，而且突然立起脚尖，双目渴望、贪婪地注视着远方：“我真羡慕你。”她温和地笑着说。

“那简直是，”他说道： 令人神怡——尤其是俄罗斯。我曾在伏尔加河的一只船上度过了好几天。你还记得你过去常常弹的那首船夫曲吗？

“记得。”就在她说这话时，乐曲已经开始在她的脑海中荡然回旋。 “你现在还弹钢琴吗？ “不了，钢琴不在了。”

他感到吃惊。“你那架漂亮的钢琴哪去了？” 她脸上略带苦相。“卖了，几年前就卖了。” “但是你对音乐是如此地情有独钟。”他漠然地说道。

“我现在没有时间去顾及它了。”她说。 他没有追问下去。“水上的生活，”他继续说，“是很独特的，在船上呆了一两天后，你竟然意